Stencil printing and flocking machine



Oct. 15, 1935. H. D. HOWE ET AL STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1932 623 Roach mm o INVENTORS HALLETT D. HOWE STAG T: LYYON Oct. 15, 1935. H. D. HOWE \ET AL. 2,017,459

STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Filed July .16, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIHIIHIHIHIHwmun-- I HHHH HHHHHHW L.

E a R 3 I iii -illlh. l V

' N INVENTORS N a 3 N N HALLETT D.H0WE

- STACY LYON TI'ORN EYS 1935. H. D. HOWE- El AL STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOORING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1932 1:5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS F. m H D T T E A H ATTORNEYS O C N Oct. 15, 1935. 'H. D. HOWE ET m.

STENCIL-PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1932 1s Sheets-Sheet 4 villa/If!!! fill/424,5 "I pr 5 INYENTORS" Oct. 15, 1935. H. D. HOWE El AL 9 STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Fild July 16, 1932 15 Sheets- Sheet 5- INVENTORS HALLETTD. HowE STACY 7'. LYON Oct. 15, 1935. H. D. HOWE ET AL 2,017,459

STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Fi'leduul le, 1952 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 5 Z4 Z5 26"24 Z4 5 Him m' J INVENTORS HALLErra/mwz m. 1 am F Q INVENTRS HALLETT D. Howe STACY T LYQN,

13 Sheets-Sheet 7 NNN H D HOWE EI'AL STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Flled July 16, 1952 Oct. 15,

H. D. HOWE ET AL STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed July 15, 1952 fig INVENTORS HALLETT D.HOWE STACY T. LYON ATTORNEYS Oct. 15,1935. H. D. HOWE ET AL ,0

I STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Fil ed July 16, 1932 1a Sheets-Sheet 9 mvzm-ons HALLETT 0. HOWE smcv r LYON TI'ORNEYS Oct. 15, .1935. H. n. HOWE ET AL STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Filed Ju1y'16, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet; 10

' INVENTORS HALLET T D- HOWE smcv LYON HALLETT D. HOWE STACY 7. LYON H D HOWE ETAL STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1952 v 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTORS Oct. 15, 1935; HOWE r AL 2,017,459

STENCIL PRINTING AND FLocKING uAcnINE I 13 sheets-sheet 12" Filed July 16, 1932 INVENTORS I HALLET T D. HOWE 1 \STA CY T1 LYON Oct. 15, 1935. H. D. HOWE 'Er AL 2,017,459

. STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1932 l3'S1eets-Sheet 15 II "I DID mummulmmHHHHHHI HmInu" Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,017,459 STENCIL PRINTING AND FLOCKING MACHINE Hallett D. Howe, North Adams, and Stacy '1. Lyon,

\ West Roxbury, Mass.

Application July 16, 1932, Serial-No. 622,844

, 40 Claims. (Cl. I 1 115) The present invention, which relates to improvements in stencil printing machinery, has for its main object the production of such a machine that will be capable of producing registered stencil impressions in two or morecolors upon any suitable material. v

Two or more stencil printing mechanisms are arranged to operate simultaneously upon progressive sections of a web or other suitable form of material to be decorated, the stencil designs of the several stencils being complementary parts of each other or of the complete design which is to be produced upon the work, and the impression from each of the stencils being applied to the material in proper registered relation to all other parts ofthe' design, whether applied first or at subsequent operations. -Several stencil printing mechanisms are preferably arranged to be operated by a common operating mechanism and withrelation to material feeding mechanism which moves the material intermittentlyone step or station at a time so as to successively present each section of the work material in. position for the operation of each stencil mechanism. In

- this way the several stencil mechanisms will operate simultaneously upon successive sections of the web or other form of work material, the relative timing of the operations of the feed mechanism and stencil printing mechanisms being such that the plural stencil printings are accomplished while the work is at rest and the feed takes place while the stencil printing mechanisms are out of action, the extent of feed being accurately determined to ensure-registry between the successively applied stencil impressions.

Theimproved stencil printing mechanism is employed for decorating in one or more colors any suitable material such as a textile fabric or paper in the form of a web or successive sheets,

40 the ink or pigment used being selected with due regard to the material printed upon and the eii'ect it is desiredto produce. In its simplest form the machine is arranged to produce a plurality of registering impressions with a suitable ink or pigment, but in the preferred development cf the improved machine there have been added suitable mechanisms for applying an additional ornamental finish to the stencil impressions made upon the work. This additional ornamentation may be by means'of an ornamental dust or powder of any suitable kind, but has been demon strated from a practical standpoint as a flock printing machine.

When'the improved machine is combined with floc app yin mechani a docki u it 7 duce flocked stencil impressions of a plurality 01' 5 colors, the successive impressions registering and the successive applications of different colored flocks being applied to the successive stencil impressions.

In the stencil printing and flocking develop- 10 ment of this invention arrangements have been made to apply the ornamental powder or flock to both surfaces of the material being decorated, the ink or pigment of stencil impressions being forced through the material (which in this case is 15 a textile material) so as to receive the. ornamental fiock on both surfaces, the flock adhering to the glue or sticky ink or pigment and drying thereon to produce a permanent ornamentation.

In the flock applying units the flock or other 20 ornamental dust or powder is spread over the upper and lower surfaces of the work after each stencil impression has been made and by the application of suitable air blasts and suction devices the drying action is started and the flock'25 is caused to adhere to the sticky impression surfaces and the surplus of the ornamental flock or other powder is drawn from the work material and returned in the stream of flock laden air through the pumps or blowers to be again scat- 30 tered overthe surfaces of the succeeding stencil impressions.

The improved machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as a combined stencil printing and flocking machine. 35

In said drawings Figure 1 is a'diagrammatic side elevation 01 the improved machine showing the entire assembly including a plurality of stencilling andv flocking units and the controlling and operating 40 mechanism;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, on a larger scale, of the feeding-in end of the machine, extending to section line AA of Figures -1, 2, and 3;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of an intermediate 45 part of the machine showing the first stencilling of Figures 1, 3, and 4;

Figures 4a and 4bare fragmentary sectional at s and 4;

4 and while protecting Figure 6 is a plan view of the feeding-in end or part of the machine shown in Figure 2; this view shows the means for the selvage edges of the web of material (to be printed) into the bite of the endless chain of grippers;

Figure 'I is a transverse sectional view taken on theline 1-4 of Figures 2 and 6 showing the idler sprockets at the feeding-in end;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-2 of Figures 2 and 6 showing the supporting track bar and the grippers-controlling cam bar; I

Figure'9 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a gripper chain e'lemimt;

Figure 10 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the stencil unit shown in Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary part of the same viewshowing' only; the stencil, bedplate and means for relatively moving them; v Figure 1 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the stencil unit taken on the line l2-i2 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the flocking imit shown in Figures 3 and 4; v a

Figure 14 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view .taken on the line ll-ll of Fig- .ure13;

Figure 15 is a vertical transverse sectional view ofagiockingunit takenonline 15-15 ofFigure 1 'Figure 16 is a detail perspective view of a stencil frame carrying a removable stencil;

Figure 17 is a detail longitudinal sectional view 01' a stencil and frame showing by dot and dash line's, positions-of the stencil partly raised in the act of removing it for changing or cleaning;

' Figure 18 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the doctor blade in action upon a first impression stencil;

Figure 19 is a'fragmentary plan view of stencil used to make second impressions;

Figure 20 is-an enlarged detail sectional view through a stencil printing mechanism for a second or subsequent impression in registry with previous impresions from inj y;

-Figure 21 is a diagrammatic view of the ar-' rangement of designs and bed openings for a series of stencils and stencil beds for producin a three color design;

Figure 22' is an end elevation of the main driving mechanism at one side of the delivery end of the machine;

Figure 23 is a fragmentary end view of part of the driving means at the other side of the delivery end of the machine;

Figure 24 is a'fragmentary perspective view of the Geneva movement forming part of the intermittent main driving mechanism;

Figure 25 is a detail end viewshowing the means for varying the width of the machine to suit different widths of material to be printed;

Figure 26: is a fragmentary side elevation of part of same;

Figure 27' is a sectional detail plan view taken on line 21-21 of Figure 25;

Figure 28 is a sectional detail view taken on line 28-28 of Figure 5 showing control means for the stencil doctor operating motor;

Figure 29 is a diagrammatic detail view showing the cycle of operations.

Gn'pper chain jeedinginecham'sm In the form of machine shown in the drawings, the feeding mechanism has been designed to feed a continuous web of textile material through the successive stencil printing and flocking mechanisms. For the purpose of handling such textile material with sufiicient accuracy to register the complementary impressions of the successive stencil printing mechanisms, the machine is provided with two endless chains of grippers travelling over suitable guide tracks and sprockets with the grippers presented inwardly to engage the selvage edges of the textile web to properly spread it out and convey it through the machine.

The machine as shown comprises the side frames made up of braced uprights i connected at top by the angle iron side rails 2 upon which are mounted the track bars 3 for the gripper feed chains II and certain other parts of the machine. 25 These machine side frames also carry the track has III for supporting the return run of the gripper chains, and are further properly braced and secured to the floor in the usual manner, one form of such bracing being illustrated at 4 in 30 Figures 22, 23, and- 25. The machine may be adjustable in width as hereinafter explained.

At the feeding-in end of the machine a table 5 is mounted upon the flanged plates 6 supported upon and projecting inwardly from the top rails 2. These flanged plates 6 are cut away to per? mit the idler sprocket wheels I, l and the gripper chains carried thereby to pass freely from below on opposite sides of the receiving table 5. The

, idler sprocket wheels I, 1' are freely journalled v around the idler sprocket wheels I, I and present the grippers-inwardly at opposite edges of the table 5. These gripper chains extend the whole length of the machine for the purpose of engaging the selvage edges of the web of textile material at the feeding-in end and gently spreading the material longitudinally and transversely over the receiving table and conveying the spread out material by intermittent steps through the several operating mechanisms. The endless "gripper chains ID are vmade up of continuous series of automatic grippers such as shown specifically in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, in which the cheek links or plates II and I2 of the inner and outer pairs of links are both formed with integral laterally projecting flanges I I a or lZa; each of the inwardly projecting flanges Ila or l2a carrying a rubber faced pad I3 constituting the lower jaw of a gripper, while oneach of the outwardly projecting flanges Ila or I211 is riveted a base plate ll formed with parallel upwardly presented ears or lugs IS, a rear angular stud l6 and parallel upwardly presented pins ll. Pivctally mounted between the ears or lugs I5 is the upper gripper jaw l8 having a longitudinally grooved inner face I80. presented toward the lower rubber faced fixed g pper jaw l3. Each upper gripper member It has an upwardly and rearwardly projecting heel member l9- formed with a downwardly presented angular lug anti-friction chain-supporting rollers l |c whichrun upon the driving and idling sprockets and the directing track bars 3. The outer cheek links |2 embrace adjacent 'ends of pairs of inner links H and pivotally couple with them by means of pivot pins |2b fixed at one end in one check link l2 and extending through tubular pivot members Nb and fastened in openings in the other cheek link l2 by one of the u'sualspring keys, such as I20.

22-22 are opposite curved selvage guides se-- cured above the side edges of the table 5 through which the selvage edges of the web of textile material are threaded. These guide members 22 are presented at converging angles just in front of the two endless gripper chains Ill as they move upwardly over the idler sprocket wheels 1.

' The gripper chains pass from the sprocket wheels 1 with their heel members l9 presented beneath the inwardly inclined overhanging cam bars 23 which are mounted uponthe top rails 2 by means of brackets 24, Below the brackets 24 are the inclined guide rails 25 supported from the top side rails 2 by means of brackets 26, said guide rails 25 engaging the gripper chain links beneath the outer flanges |2 to guide the endless chains inwardly from their idler sprockets 1 to a point beyond the intersection of the lines of open grippers with the selvage edges of the material to be treated. With the edges of the material presented between the open jaws of the grippers, as the material is fed forwardly by the chain of grippers, the gripper tail members l9 pass from beneath the cam bars 23 to permit the springs 2| to close the grippers upon the selvage edges of the material. From the points of engagement of the grippers with the material the chains of grippers are led outwardly or caused to diverge slightly by reason of the engagement of the gripper links with the track bars 3 that start in beyond the outwardly inclined gripper guiding members 21 supported on the side frames by brackets 28. This action is made clear in Figure 6 of the :drawings. To ensure against the accidental vertical displacement of the gripper chains from the track bars 3, the angle iron side rails 2 have secured to their inner faces the angle iron guide rails 29 which are presented just above the outwardly projecting link flanges |2 as shown particularly in Figure 12 of the drawings.

The endless chains of feeding grippers pass horizontally over the guiding track bars 3 in a horizontal plane throughout the length-of the machine, (rollers ||c running on track bars 3), said chains passing adjacent to the delivery end of the machine over the driving sprockets 30 whichare mounted upon a rotary shaft 3| journalled in bearings 32 of the machine side frames and the auxiliary bearing posts 234 hereinafter referred to. This sprocket carrying shaft 3| is suitably geared to the power driven mechanism hereinafter referred to by which the gripper chains are intermittently moved for .carrying the work through the machine in successive steps for-the action of the stencil printing and flock applying mechanisms.

The feed chains, having takenhold of the mechanism which will now be described.

Stencil printing mechanism The stencil printing mechanism preferably employed in the present machine comprises a relatively movable work supporting impression bed and printing stencil supported respectively below and above the plane of feed of the material and acted upon and controlled by suitable means for moving them together upon the work at the time the impression is to be made.

The stencil printing bed below the path of the work is indicated particularly in Figures 10, 11, and 12 of the drawings, the bed being in-' dicated at 35 in the form of a rigid plate or table on which is supported a pressure plate or platen 36 preferably of fibre board. The bed 35 is bolted at 31 to the horizontal arms 38 of the inwardly presented angle'ircn frame members 39 which are secured by bolts 40 to the adjustableside bars 4| from which the impression bed is suspended.

.The bed supporting bars 4| rest upon four eccentrics indicated at 42, 42 and 43, 43, each eccentric 42 being fixed to a short shaft 44 journalled at 45 in a bearing bracket 46 projecting upwardly from the machine side frame; while each eccen tric 43 is similarly mounted upon a short shaft 41 journalled in a bearing 48 of a bracket 49 upon the machine frame.

50 is a rectangular frame provided with downwardly presented forked guides 5| adjacent its four corners, which guides straddle and move vertically upon the four short shafts 44, 44 and site upon the short shafts 41 with the result that the impression bed supported through its frame by eccentrics 42, 42 and 43, 43, will be raised when the printing stencil, supported through its frame by eccentrics 52, 52 and 53, is lowered, and vice versa.

The stencil plate or screen proper, indicated at 55, is mounted upon a suitable rigid frame, preferably of angle iron formation as shown at by hinged link members 51 having their lower links rigidly attached-to the stencil frame 55 and their upper links formed with outwardly presented angular flanges 58 which rest upon the 56, which is supported from its two opposite ends 55 frame. 50 and are s'ecured'in the desired adjusted 60 position thereon by means of bolts and wing nuts indicated at 59. By reason of the described mounting of the stencil screen 55 within the frame 50 such screens can be readily removed for, cleaning or for changing the design to be printed. Figure 17 indicates in dot and dash lines possible positions of the stencil when removing it, after disengaging the supporting hinged link members 51 from the frame 50.

60, 60 indicate track bars formed with bifurcated opposite ends 6| in engagement with the frame 50, as shown particularly in Figure 16 of the drawings. There is a track bar 60 mounted .on each side of the stencil supporting frame 50,

said tra'ck bars being engaged above and below 7 by rollers 62 journalled upon studs 63 projecting outwardly from the brackets 64 which are in turn secured by bolts 65 to the vertical slides 66 in thelower ends of which the upper roller studs 83 also engage. The rigidly connected brackets 64 and slides. 66 constitute vertically movable sideframes for supporting and operating the ink manipulating doctor, moving it periodically into and out of its operative relation with the stencil. Each of these slides 66 is vertically dovetailed at 61 upon a horizontally travelling block 68 operating in and guided upon a housing 69 supported at opposite ends upon the upper ends of. the upwardly projecting brackets 18 mounted on the machine frame. In the end walls of each of these housings 69 is journalled the bearing ends of a double or reversing feed screw These feed screws Ii are geared to operate in unison by the miter gears 12 upon the projecting rear ends of their bearing shafts,

. which miter gears mesh with corresponding Y brackets 64 gears 13 keyed to the opposite ends of a coupling shaft 14 journalled in bearing bracket 'I5 projecting from the housings 69. These feed shafts 1| are threaded through and drive the blocks 68 above referred to for causing these blocks 68 to carry the doctor supporting frame from one end tothe other porting housings.

One of the feed screws .II has secured to its journal shaft upon the end and opposite the miter gear 12 a sprocketfwheel 16 which is driven by a sprocket chain 11 operated by electric motor 18 which is automatically controlled to throw it into and out of operation by the means hereinafter described. I

Stud bolts 88 are mounted in the opposite to pivotally support the vertically extending members 8| alongside of the brackets 64, each member 8| having between its ends a transverse slot 82 concentric with the pivot bolts 88 through which convenient access is afforded for mounting a screw bolt- 65 which connects a bracket 84 with a member 66. The upper end of each member 8| canies an antifriction roller 84 freely journalled upon a stud 85 and presented beneath a pressure track bar 86 supported at its ends by angle bars 81 projecting up from the stencil supporting frame 58.

Embracing the lower end of each of the pivotally mounted doctor supporting members 8| of the screw supis an angular boxing 88 freely mounted upon a bolt 88 and having side walls 89 through which project adjusting screws 98 in position to en-' gage members 8| to determine the position of the blade carrying boxing with reference to the supporting members 8|. The members 88 at the lower ends of members 8| are connected by plates 9|- set at a slightangle to receive the rubber doctor blades 92 that are fastened thereon with their lower edges presented just above the stencilv plate. for. rubbing the ink or pigment through the interstices of the stencil.

The action of the doctor mechanism when the feed screws II. are caused to rotate is to move the blocks 68 longitudinallyv of the machine with the result that anti-friction rollers 85 will first engage the angular shoulders on pressure bars 86 for shifting the doctor carrying levers 8| rearwardly of the direction of movements of the blocks and then by the engagement of the thick portion of the pressure bars 86 force the doctor mechanism downwardly with one of the doctor blades-in rubbing contact with the stencil plate. The amount of pressure applied by the doctor blade to the stencil plate is determined by the body of ink or pigment with it and rubbing sufii- 5 cient of the same through the interstices of the 'designto make the desired impression uponthe work. The control of the motor hereinafter referred to is such that the doctor blade will make one complete stroke fromend to end over the 10 stencil and then stop. When the motor is again started the blade will be shifted to place the second blade in action and the first out of action and the movement will be in the reverse direction to the other end of the stencil. The body of sur- 15 plus ink or pigment is carried back and forth over the stencil between the two doctor blades which alternate in action, the ink being always in printing position ahead of the active doctor blade.

It will be noted that the web of cloth or other 20 material indicated at I88 supported laterally by the gripper chains is presented between the impression bed 35,36 and the printing stencil 55 in which position gripper chains stop and the web of'material is at rest.

Bed-protecting web porting frame I 8| Weighted cords or bands I82 85 attached to the machine frame pass over the projecting ends of the axle 98 to give the take-up roll 91 a downward pressure against the friction roll I83 by which the take-up roll 91 is supported and rotated as it builds up. One end of the shaft of the winding friction roll I83 carries a sprocket wheel I84 over which operates a sprocket chain I85 driven by a sprocket wheel I 86 carried upon one, end of ashaft I81 journalled in bracket bearings 88 on the inner faces of the 45 machine side frames and extending from side to side of the machine. This transverse shaft I8! carries adjacent to the side 'frames the sprocket wheels I88 which mesh with and are driven by the sprocket chains which carry the cloth engag 50 ing rippers, the chains in this position being re'- I versed or upside down and on the return inactive run of the grippers in which the gripper tail members l9 slide upon the return horizontal track bars 8 of the machine frame.

A scraper blade I is supported in the hook bracket arms 2 to incline toward and rest upon the protecting web of paper 93 to scrape from the web any excess of paint or ink that has passed from the design applied to the work material I88. 60 The action of the scraper removes surplus for eign matter from the protectingpaper' as it is wound up.

The described arrangement and operation of the protecting web of paper is such that when 65 the-endless chains ofcloth carrying grippers are at rest there will be a portion of the protecting paper 93 beneath the work material in readiness .for the stencil printing operation. When the by the rotation of the four short shafts 44, 44,

and 41, 41, carrying the eccentrics 42, 42, 43, 43, 52, 52, 53, 53, above described. Each of these four shafts carries adjacent to its bearing (45 or 48), a sprocket wheel II3 over which operates a sprocket chain I I4 driven from a sprocket'wheel II5 on short shaft IIG carrying a second sprocket wheel II1 around which extends a Sprocket chain II8 driven by a sprocket wheel Il9'on the shaft I which extends transversely from side to side of the machine frame. There are two shafts I20 for each stencil printing mechanism, one connecting the two eccentric carrying shafts 44 through chains and sprockets and the other connecting the two eccentric carrying shafts 41 in the same way. Two of the sprocket carrying shafts IIB are provided at one side of the machine with worm gears I2I which are in constant mesh with and are driven by the worms, I22 mounted upon the shaft I23 joumalled in bracket bearings I24 secured to one of the side frames bf the machine and extending from the first stencil printing station to the power end of the machine where it is suitably geared to said power mechanism for causing the periodic operation of the stencil printing mechanism.

After the webof work material has received a stencil impression and the stencil and bed have been moved apart the endless chains of grippers are again thrown into action and move the printed section of the material away from the first printed station and a new section of the work material into position to receive a stencil impression. As the; printed material moves forwardly it is brought under the influence of the flock applying mechanisms which constantly operate and comprise in their preferable form the following construction.

Flock applying mechanism Referring particularly to Figs. 13, 14, and 15 of the drawings it will be observed that the web of work material passes from the first stencil" printing mechanism into a flocking box I25 having a top opening I 28 normally closedby a glazed cover member I21. The bottom of-the box I 25 r ,is open and the side edges are provided with felt strips I28 which are designed to engage the upper face of the work material just inside of the conveying chains of grippers.

, I29is a flock supply box or chamber extending transversely of the flocking box I25 and opening into the box through the top wall at its receiving extends inwardly to a end. The-rear {gill I29a point .ius't above e path of the material I00 closing off from themain flocking box I25 a small enclosure I30 having a textile material top I3I, open at bottom to the material I00 and serving as a means for confining any surplus flock that passes from the flocking box beneath wall I29a under the pressure of the flock circulating air current, thereby-restricting-as far as possible the escape of the flocking material into the air of the work room. This flock distributing box I29 is formed with inclined diverging side walls I29b which ex- .tend from the rectangular chamber I 32 to which the blower pipe I33 is coupled.

In the portion I32 of the box I29 are mounted the flock distributing veins or plates I34 depending from short shafts I35, upon a projecting end row suction slit path ofthe cloth secured to one of the side frames of the machine. 5 I

This shaft I39 carries a sprocket wheel m driven by sprocket chain I42 from the sprocket wheel I43 on shaft I44 journalled in'the upper ends of brackets I45 and extending longitudinally of the machine to a point where it carries on its rear end 10 a sprocket wheel 2I3 driven by thepower mechanism in the manner hereinafter referred to. By the mechanism described the parallel veins or plates I34 are oscillated from side to side of the box I29 to distribute the flock forced in by the 14 blower which maintains a circulation of flock laden air through the flocking box 125 in the manner presently to be explained. The shaft I44 carries a second sprocket wheel I46 driving a sprocket chain I41 and sprocket wheel I40, the 20 latter being mounted upon a shaft I49 journalled in bracket bearings I50. Shaft I49 also carries one of the tappet arms I9 hereinafter referred to, and a miter gear I69 meshing with and driving a similar gear I10 on the end of transverse shaft 2 HI geared at its opposite end through. miter gears I12, I13, to the .driven shaft I68 extending longitudinally of the machine on the side opposite shaft I49.

The air pipe I33 communicates with an air re- 80 liefor breathing bag I5I interposed between the air pipe I33 and the outlet air pipe I52 of the centrifugal blower I53. The blower I 53 has a central air inlet pipe I54 leading up from a suction box I55 mounted in the outlet end of the flocking box I25. This suction box I55 is extended laterally of the lmx I25 andhas at its lower end a narthat is presented-just above the so as to draw away from the cloth all surplus flock that has not adhered to the tacky surface of, the flock stencil impression upon the work. It will be observed from the described sult from a continuous operation of the ciroulae 55.

tion of flock, even during the period when the webof cloth is at rest. In addition to the arrangement above described for applying flock or other ornamental dust or powder to the stencil impressions on the upper surface of .the cloth, means are also provided for applying flock to the exposed under faces of the stencil impressions, the ink or pigment employed in making such impressionsbeing of the required consistency to pass throughthe interstices of the cloth and produce the design of the impression on the under surface as well as on the top surface.

I is the bottom flocking box extendingfrom side to side beneath the path of the work web and having terminal walls or lips I6I which rise to 7 points just below the web path. The bottom of this flocking box I50 is partly formed of a textile fabric I62 across which extends a'plurality of beater arms I53 mounted upon rock arms I64. pivotally. mounted on shafts I65 in bracket arms 15 Wlfile the circulation of the flock laden 5o I66. Each of these arms I64 has a rearwardly projecting heel I64a which is intermittently engaged by a tappet I61, two of which are carried by the shaft I66 joumalled in the brackets I50a and the others of which are mounted on the shaft I49 above referred to.

Each of the arms I64 is connected through a spring I14 with the machine frame to retain the beater arms I63 normally up against the textile bottom of the flocking box I60 and allow the-rotating tappets I61 to intermittently force them away from the box I60 and then suddenly release them to allow the springs to snap them back against the textile bottom for scattering and floating the excess flock in the bottom flocking box.

Entering the bottom of the flocking box I60 is a flock supplying head or nozzle I15 extending transversely of the box I60 and having a narrow inlet slot I15a. The head or nozzle I15 is coupled with an air blast pipe I16 communicating through the lower breathing bag I11 with the blower pipe I18 leading from a second centrifugal blower I19 driven by the electric motor I60 mounted on the standard I6I. The inlet pipe I82 of the second blower leads from a suction head or nozzle I63 presented in a transverse slot I64 in the bottom of the flocking box I60 at its delivery end. By these means air laden flock is circulated through the box I60 and caused to adhere to the tacky undersurface of the stencil impression, the surplus flock being drawn out at the delivery end of the box.

Arranged transversely of the machine both above and below the path of the web of textile material are the perforated air pipes I I66- communicating through suitable hose with a. supplyof air under pressure, the purpose of these perforated pipes I65, I66 being to assist in clearing from both the upper and lower faces of the web of material the remaining excess of loose flock that has not adhered to the stencil impres- At the start of the operation a quantity of loose flock is placed in the flocking boxes I50 and I60 through the glazed door I21. As the process proceeds and it is found that additional flock is needed it is possible to add small quantities through openings in the blower pipes I54 and I16 normally closed by the screw plugs I81.

The successive flocking stations (each having upper and lower flocking boxes) may app a different colored flock to each of the complementary stencil impressions, and the flock applied to the upper surface of the printed work may be the same or a difierent color from the flock applied .to the under surface of the work.

As herinbefore stated the plan of the improved machine provides for the use of any desired num-, ber of stencil printing mechanisms (within reason) each followed by a flocking mechanism when flock printing is to be produced or when it is desired to produce registered stencil printing in which the successive stencil designs are complementary of each-other, the stencil printingprocess with a different color for each stencil impression may be carried out without the use of the )flocking mechanism.

the second stencil mechanisms each followed by an upper and lower more or less diagrammatically, these parts acting:

as they do in making a first impression or an impression from the first stencilling mechanism. 35 indicates the improved bed, 36 the fibre pressure plate or platen, 93 the protecting paper web, I00 the web of work material, 55 the stencil, and 9 2 the doctor blade.

Figure 19 shows in plan a fragment design for a second impression.

Registry of plural stencil impression: in two or more colors The present invention includes an important improvement with reference -to the registry of complementary stencil designs of successive stenof a stencil cil printing mechanisms, whether in a single color or two or more colors, this feature being illustrated particularly in Figures 20 and 21 of. the drawings. In Figure 20 the fibre stencil bed I86 is. shown, beneath the paper web 93, the textile work web I00, and a wire stencil I89, all of these parts being shown in section and-exaggerated as to size for more plainly'representing the important features. The form of stencil shown in Figure 20 is for making a second or third stencil impression in registered relation with a previously printed impression or lmpressions,-the idea being to depress the previously printed and flocked part of the design to avoid injuring it with the stencil for the subsequently applied impressions. In carrying out this idea the fibre bed stencil I88 is formed with holes or recesses I661: cut into or through 'it upon the general plan or arrangement of the stencil impressions applied prior to the impression of the particular stencil under consideration, as shown in Figure 20. In addition to providing the fibre bed with recesses or holes, the undersurface of "the new stencil I69 is provided with small lugs or protuberances I90 so arrangedwith regard to the previous impressions, one of which is indicated roughly at I00a, that the matrial I00 will be depressed into the holes IBM and the stencil plate I69 will thereby be held out of contact with the work material in the regions of the previous impressions. when the stencil and bed are brought together in the position shown in Figure 20 the doctor rubs the ink or pigment across the surface of the stencil and forces it thro h the stencil openings indicated at I69a to imp t additional complementary impressions upon the cloth I00 in proper registered relation with the previously formed impressions.

In the series of diagrammatic representations "in Figure 21 of thedrawings, I9I is the plan of a stencil for a first impression showing an arrangement of tended'to indicate parts of a complementary design made upby subsequently employed stencils. Beneath is the plain impression-plate I93 which supports the cloth in receiving the impressions fronrstencil I9I. At I94 is shown a second impression stencil with indications at I95 of parts of the design which will complement the impressions of stencil I9I'or inother words is provided with small circles I92 which are in- I parts of a composite design which will register with the previously formed design from stencil I9I. The stencil I94 may be printed in a second. color. At I96 is shown an impression bed in which there are recesses or holes at I91 arranged -to receive the previously printed cloth and permit the depression of design parts I92 when the stencil I94 is moved into place for printing. At I98 is a third form of stencil arranged with design parts I99 that will gister and fit between the previously impressed esigns of stencil I 9| and I94. The impressions from this third stencil I98 may be made in a thiend color differing from the first and second impr ssions. At 200 is the plan of an impression plate having a series of recesses or openings 20I arranged to permit the depression of previous impressions from both stencil I 9| and I94 when the third stencil I98 is pressed d'own-' wardly for the final stencil impression. In this connection it will be understood that the stencils- I94 and I98 are provided with under faces 'to depress the parts of the cloth into the bed depressions to correspond with the previously made stencil impressions.

Operating mechanism The driving and'controlling mechanism is H- lustrated particularly in Figures 5, 22, 23, and 24. 285 is the main power shaft journalled in suitable upright bearing frames and receiving its power from the driving belt 206 acting upon belt pulley 201. Shaft 285 carries a driving gear 208 which meshes with and drives a larger gear 209 upon an intermediate constantly driven shaft'2 I suitably journalled in the frame members and carrying at its inner end a sprocket wheel 2 from which extends'a sprocket chain 2I2 operating over a sprocket wheel 2I3 upon the shaft I44 above referred to. t

Adjacent to its opposite ends the intermediate shaft 2|!) carries two gears 2I4 which mesh with I and drive. two large gears 2I5 mounted upon a third shaft 2I6 suitably journalled in the power supporting frame. This shaft 2I6 carries at its rear end a large mutilated gear 2|! having a gear segment 2I'la and a smooth rim segment 2I1b. This large mutilated gear 2II constitutes the driving part of a Geneva movement, the said gear segment 2I1a being arranged to intermittently engage and drive a small gear 2I8 mounted upon a short shaft 2I9 journalled in standards 220. The driven gear 2I8 also carries the stop segment 22I which at the completion of each driving operation of segment'2I1a upon gear 2I8 comes into engagement with the smooth rim 2I'Ib and holds the shaft 2I9 against motion while the mutilated gear 2" completes, its rotation. It will be understood that when the smooth rim 2I'Ib passes the stop segment 22I the gear segment 2I1a. will again come into active engagement with the driven gear 2 I8. The shaft 2 I 9- referred to wheel 222 also carries a sprocket driving a sprocket chain 223 which operates a sprocket wheel 224 upon a short shaft 225 which carries-a miter gear 226 meshing with and driving a similar gear 221 upon a vertical shaft 228 journalled in bracket bearings 229 pro-- jecting from the side frame of the machine adjacent toits delivery end. The vertical shaft 228 has at its upper end a miter gear 230 meshing with a larger miter gearl23l upon the projecting shaft 3 I upon which the main driving sprockets 38 of the endless gripper chains are mounted. This 75 shaft arrying the sprockets is journalled at its amuse opposite ends beyond the main side frames of the machines in the standard bearings 234. The

gear 22'! upon shaft 228 also meshes with and drives a bevel gear 235 on the end of a transverse shaft 236 which is suitably journalled near its ends in bearing brackets upon the machine side frames. At its opposite end the shaft 236 carries a bevel gear 231 driving a similar gear 238 on a vertical shaft 239 journalled in bearing brackets 240 and carrying at its upper end a bevel gear 24I which meshes with the second bevel gear 23 Ia on the sprocket carrying shaft 3|. 4 The shaft MS of the driving mechanism also carries a mutilated gear 242 having the oppositely arranged gear segments 242a and 24211 which periodically engage and drive the gear 243 upon a short shaft 244 journalled in 111 right bearings 245. This shaft 244 carries at its opposite end a sprocket wheel 246 driving a sprocket chain 241 which operates upon and drives '20 shaft I23 above referred to.

The shaft 2I6 also carries a controlling wheel 249 having a raised segmental portion 249a running in peripheral contact mailed in an arm 25I carried by a spring pressed shaft 252 journalled in an upright 253. This shaft 252 also carries a contact arm 254designed to intermittently engage and operate an automatic switch the electric motor I8 above referred to which drives the feed screws II of the doctor mecha nism.

Referring to Figure 29 it will be observed that the cycle of operations under the described controlling and driving mechanism is graphically indicated;the sectoin a .of the'circle indicating the proportion of each completecycle that the endless. chains of grippers are moving with the work material. The section b indicates the 40 period for the lowering of the stencil and raising of the impression bed preparatoryv to making a stencil-impression; the section 0 of 'the cycle represents the period during which the motor a sprocket wheel 248 upon the rear end'oi the with a roller 258- jour- 25 78 is operating for moving the doctor blade from one end of the stencil to the other while the section dindicates the period after the completion of the stencil impression when the stencil is raised and the impression bed is lowered Just prior to a succeeding movement of the chains carrying the work material.

As heretofore explained the flocking or dusting mechanisms operate constantly, the flock being applied to both the upper and the lower surfaces of the stencil impressions after printing as longas they are within the influence of the flock laden air currents.

As the cloth conveying gripper chains reach the delivery and of the machine the cam rails 256 on the machine side frames engage the and hold the grippers in open position while the freed web of the completed work is guided clear of the grippers and passes out over a delivery roll 251 freely Joumailed at 258 in the auxiliary frame 259. The released gri s pass down their driving sprockets 30. The web of finished .material is draped in long loops as it passes the rippe each stencil 5:,

gripper heels around etimes to construct side frames may be constructed asillustrated in 7;

255 which controls the circuit for 30; 

